Why were recordings banned?
The reason I was given for the village implementing a charter violating recording ban was:
People were posting edited videos and misrepresenting us.
Public recording of government is essential for accountability, and the follow up excuses of slow internet, just don’t fly with me. This is 2026, the meetings do not need to be live streamed, they can be recorded and then published in the following days as quite a few other small municipalities do.
The only thing standing in the way of recorded council meetings is village government, and it is long past time for that to change.
Bylaw Timeline
No recording ban.
Bylaw 732 3 to 751 4 5 2021 - 2023
37) Any other public audio or video recordings shall not be permitted in Council Chambers unless explicitly approved by Council at that meeting.
Bylaw 756 6 2024
33) No person, other than the Chief Administrative Officer shall be permitted to audio or visually record the proceedings of a Council or Committee meeting.
What I find very interesting is shift from council being able to authorize recordings, to only the CAO being able record, as this ultimately restricts council and the public from recording meetings.
Charter Violation
The recording ban very clearly violates 2B of the charter of rights and freedoms.7:
2 Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion;
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
(d) freedom of association.
“Recording public proceedings is a form of expression that enables accountability and democratic participation. Preventing citizens from doing so raises serious concerns under the Charter’s protection of freedom of expression.”
— Constitutional lawyer, Darren Leung
Mr. Leung is a lawyer for the JCCF ( Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms ) who has recently helped repeal8 the recording ban in Whitby9 and is currently taking the RM of Springfield10 to court.
Going forward
As a councilor, I will continue to push for both municipal and public recordings of council meetings.
I would also encourage members of the public to reach out to the JCCF and my fellow council members about the villages recording ban.
